Blog
It would be a surprise to denominational leaders what some of their pastors believe and, in some cases, no longer believe. That same surprise would occur for local pastors regarding some of their staff members or for their congregants who assumed their friends...
Jan and I were invited to a conference where I was one of the speakers. The conference host put us up in a beautiful Airbnb with a swimming pool. After a long day of meetings, I wanted to unwind. I donned my swimsuit and grabbed a towel and headed to the pool. The...
When we are surrounded by the enemies of truth and it seems that evil alliances are ruling the day, it is too easy to forget our most important weapon in spiritual warfare – worship. Worship can become just another item on our spiritual checklist reducing worship to a...
There is a faith that can only discovered when our current measure of faith is finally exhausted. It is in this depleted place that the essence of a pure faith is finally discovered. It is here where our emptiness and desperation cause us to reach for...
Try just one more time. Just one more time, face the fear that has held the promise of your future at bay. There is something different about this time. God has a plan to knock over your fears like dominoes set on edge. These dominoes only need a gentle...
I posted the following sentences on my social media accounts as I was thinking about the reaction of some to the recent release of the move Noah: Sometimes the Church gets upset over the least important things. This is a good time to review what upset Jesus and follow...
Where many experts exist there is little forward motion, only opinions that lead in different directions. Seek a word from God and follow it. God will be faithful to lead you to a place of promise even if the experts disagree with your decision. One of the challenges...
For the last 35 years one of the most impacting voices in my life has been Jerry Cook. Jerry formed the theology of many leaders in the Church. Recently, Jerry went home to be with the Lord. Just before his death, Jerry wrote the foreword to my book, The...
At my age and length of service in God’s Kingdom, I am now what some people would call a spiritual father. In most gatherings, I am one of the older pastors in the room. As we age, wisdom can increasingly be present and in operation in our lives if we have allowed God...
Last night I had the most vivid dream. I was at a conference center in a beautiful forest setting and all the pathways leading through the forest were carpeted. As people were walking along these pathways, I found myself kneeling down on all fours and running my...
This week a longtime friend died suddenly. He suffered a massive heart attack and was taken to a hospital. He never recovered from the trauma of that event and eventually died a few days ago. His death shocked many of us who knew this vibrant,...
Recently, in a moment of personal brokenness the Lord spoke a word to me that changed everything. He said, In the place of your greatest shame and condemnation your most significant act of spiritual warfare is choosing to believe I still love you. This...
People are standing at a crossroads. They are standing at the intersections of life needing to make a decision about their future direction. In these significant moments we need to know God is directing our steps. When I have faced these kinds of intersections,...
As a young pastor, I listened a lot. I listened to the many voices of leaders who went before me. There were times in those early years when I would ask a simple question and receive a profound answer. In my first year of pastoring, I asked Jerry...
About 20 years ago, I began asking myself four questions. I also asked the same questions of our church staff during our quarterly planning sessions. The questions helped us engage a process of evaluation where we could leave behind what needed to be left behind and...